U.S. patent application number 10/766378 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-20 for conveying chain guide.
This patent application is currently assigned to Tsubakimoto Chain Co.. Invention is credited to Sonoda, Masatoshi, Suzuki, Kenshi.
Application Number | 20050011734 10/766378 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32949071 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050011734 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Suzuki, Kenshi ; et
al. |
January 20, 2005 |
Conveying chain guide
Abstract
A conveying chain guide, in which the stick slip phenomenon of a
conveying chain, which meshes with a driving sprocket, and a
seasickness phenomenon are removed whereby stable conveying of
articles can be smoothly realized and the driving force and
vibration noise of a conveying chain can be remarkably reduced.
When continuous three rollers C1, C2, C3 in the conveying chain C
is to be meshed with the sprocket while gradually descending from
the linear rail R for supporting the conveying surface toward the
driving sprocket S, in such an arrangement traveling state that
always corresponds to the linear rail R for supporting the
conveying surface, a transfer position X1 and a meshing position
X2, the guide track T is defined along an movement passage of the
roller C2 in the transfer position X1.
Inventors: |
Suzuki, Kenshi; (Osaka,
JP) ; Sonoda, Masatoshi; (Osaka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Kenneth L. Mitchell
9213 Chillicothe Road
Kirtland
OH
44094
US
|
Assignee: |
Tsubakimoto Chain Co.
|
Family ID: |
32949071 |
Appl. No.: |
10/766378 |
Filed: |
January 27, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
198/834 ;
198/837 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 17/48 20130101;
B65G 21/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
198/834 ;
198/837 |
International
Class: |
B65G 021/20; B65G
023/06; B65G 015/60 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 28, 2003 |
JP |
2003-019109 |
Claims
1. A conveying chain guide disposed in a transfer position just
before a conveying chain, in which a number of rollers were
sequentially pivot-connected to each other at given chain pitches
and said conveying chain was traveled on a linear rail for
supporting a conveying surface at a fixed speed, is meshed with a
driving sprocket, which is rotated at a fixed speed, and including
a guide track to cancel an change in the speed generated in the
rollers of said conveying chain, which performs a polygonal motion
at a meshing position just after said conveying roller chain was
meshed with said driving sprocket, characterized in that when
continuous three rollers in the conveying chain is to be meshed
with the sprocket while gradually descending from the linear rail
for supporting the conveying surface toward said driving sprocket,
in such an arrangement traveling state that always corresponds to a
linear rail for supporting the conveying surface, a transfer
position and a meshing position, said guide track is defined along
an movement passage of the roller in said transfer position.
2. A conveying chain guide according to claim 1, characterized in
that said guide track has continuous two arc-shaped curves.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION PERTAINS
[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying chain guide
used for canceling a change in the speed of a conveying chain,
which performs a polygonal motion by meshing with a driving
sprocket in a conveyor, which conveys articles.
RELATED ART
[0002] As a related art there is known a pulsation-preventing
device for a sprocket driving chain, which provides on a tension
side of a roller chain trained around a driving sprocket a
deflection guide member having a deflection arc surface, which abut
with a roller of a roller chain to deflect the chain whereby the
chain is trained around the driving sprocket, and in which a
relationship between a chain length L and a chain pitch P between
points where the roller of the roller chain begin to contact the
deflection guide member and a tooth of the driving sprocket,
respectively is set to L=(n+0.5).times.P. This pulsation-preventing
device prevents rotational variations, so called, a pulsation (see
the following Patent Reference 1, for example). Patent Reference 1
is Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. (Sho) 55-63047 (on
page 1, FIG. 2).
[0003] Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] However, the conventional pulsation-preventing device for a
sprocket driving chain is designed in such a manner that the
centers of the rollers pivot-connected to a roller chain are
advanced to a driving sprocket along the tangential line of a
meshing pitch circle. Accordingly, when the number of teeth of the
driving sprocket is small, a change in the speed of a roller chain
is caused by a polygonal motion, which is generated at a meshing
position where the roller chain was meshed with the driving
sprocket.
[0005] Further, such a change in the speed of the roller chain
leads to a cause of falling down, falling out or the like, which is
generated in a conveying article on a conveyor, so called a stick
slip phenomenon, and generates forward and backward motions and up
and down motions of assembled articles on an assembling line, so
called a seasickness phenomenon thereby to produce an assembly
defective, or an change in tension in the roller chain is generated
and an excessive driving power is required whereby a chain's size
is increased and vibration and noise is increased, which makes
conveying operation environment worse.
[0006] Accordingly, the objects of the present invention are to
solve the above-mentioned related art problems and to provide a
conveying chain guide, in which the stick slip phenomenon of a
conveying chain, which meshes with a driving sprocket, and a
seasickness phenomenon are removed whereby stable conveying of
articles can be smoothly realized and the driving force and
vibration noise of a conveying chain can be remarkably reduced.
[0007] Means for Solving the Problems
[0008] The invention of claim 1 solves the above-mentioned problems
by that a conveying chain guide disposed in a transfer position
just before a conveying chain, in which a number of rollers were
sequentially pivot-connected to each other at given chain pitches
and said conveying chain was traveled on a linear rail for
supporting a conveying surface at a fixed speed, is meshed with a
driving sprocket, which is rotated at a fixed speed, and including
a guide track to cancel an change in the speed generated in the
rollers of said conveying chain, which performs a polygonal motion
at a meshing position just after said conveying roller chain was
meshed with said driving sprocket, characterized in that when
continuous three rollers in the conveying chain is to be meshed
with the sprocket while gradually descending from the linear rail
for supporting the conveying surface toward said driving sprocket,
in such an arrangement traveling state that always corresponds to a
linear rail for supporting the conveying surface, a transfer
position and a meshing position, said guide track is defined along
an movement passage of the roller in said transfer position.
[0009] The invention of claim 2 further solves the above-mentioned
problems by that in addition to the configuration of the
above-mentioned claim 1, said guide track has continuous two
arc-shaped curves.
[0010] "The transfer position" in the present invention means a
movement region from the linear rail R for supporting the conveying
surface to a position where the roller in the conveying chain sent
from the linear rail for supporting the conveying surface
approaches the driving sprocket while descending to mesh with it.
Further, "the meshing position" in the present invention means a
movement region from a position where the roller meshed with the
driving sprocket to a position where the roller was moved until a
subsequent roller meshes with the driving sprocket.
[0011] Action
[0012] According to the present invention, when continuous three
rollers in the conveying chain is to be meshed with the sprocket
while gradually descending from the linear rail for supporting the
conveying surface toward the driving sprocket, in such an
arrangement traveling state that always corresponds to a linear
rail for supporting the conveying surface, a transfer position and
a meshing position, the guide track is defined along an movement
passage of the rollers in said transfer position. Thus, the guide
track formed of continuous two arc-shaped curves cancel a change in
the speed of a conveying chain, which is meshed with the driving
sprocket to perform a polygonal motion, whereby the variations of
the conveying chain speed are removed.
[0013] The invention will be better understood when reference is
made to the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS, DETAILED DESCRIPTION
OF THE INVENTION AND CLAIMS which follow hereinbelow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is an arrangement view of a conveying chain guide,
which is a first Example of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a view showing a movement passage for a conveying
chain roller.
[0016] FIG. 3 is an arrangement view of a conveying chain guide,
which is a second Example of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is an arrangement view of a conveying chain guide,
which is a third Example of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 is an arrangement view of a conveying chain guide,
which is a fourth Example of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 is an arrangement view of a conveying chain guide,
which is a fifth Example of the present invention.
[0020] A better understanding of the invention will be had when
reference is made to the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION and
CLAIMS which follow hereinbelow.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Embodiments of the Invention
[0022] Examples of preferable embodiments of a conveying chain
guide according to the present invention will be described below
with reference to drawings. FIG. 1 is an arrangement view of a
conveying chain guide 100, which is a first Example of the present
invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing a movement passage of rollers
in a conveying chain, FIG. 3 is an arrangement view of a conveying
chain guide 200, which is a second Example of the present
invention, FIG. 4 is an arrangement view of a conveying chain guide
300, which is a third Example of the present invention, FIG. 5 is
an arrangement view of a conveying chain guide 400, which is a
fourth Example of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an
arrangement view of a conveying chain guide 500, which is a fifth
Example of the present invention.
[0023] The conveying chain guide 100, which is the first Example of
the present invention, is disposed at a transfer position X1 just
before a conveying chain C in which a number of rollers C1, C2, C3,
. . . were sequentially pivot-connected to each other at given
chain pitches Cp and the rollers were traveled at a fixed speed on
a linear rail R for supporting the conveying surfaces, is meshed
with a driving sprocket S, which is rotated at a fixed speed, to
cancel an change in the conveying chain C speed, as shown in FIG.
1. It is noted that a reference numeral S.alpha. in FIG. 1 denotes
a pitch angle per one tooth of the driving sprocket. As shown in
FIG. 2, when continuous three rollers C1, C2, and C3 in the
conveying chain is to be meshed with the sprocket S while gradually
descending from the linear rail R for supporting the conveying
surfaces toward driving sprocket S, in arrangement traveling
states, which are always corresponding to the a linear rail R for
supporting the conveying surface, the transfer position X1 and the
meshing position X2, a guide track T, which is formed in the
conveying chain guide 100 of the present invention, is defined as a
movement passage consisting of continuous two arc-shaped curves T1
and T2 where the roller C2 can be smoothly moved while keeping a
distance of a chain pitch Cp from the roller C1 and the roller C3,
respectively.
[0024] Here, "the transfer position X1" in the present invention
means for example a movement region from the linear rail R for
supporting the conveying surface to a position where the roller C2
in the conveying chain C sent from the linear rail R for supporting
the conveying surface approaches the driving sprocket S while
descending to mesh with it. "The meshing position X2" in the
present invention means for example a movement region from a
position where the roller C meshed with the driving sprocket S to a
position where the roller was moved until a subsequent roller C
meshes with the driving sprocket S.
[0025] Further, an arrangement level Hr of the linear rail R for
supporting the conveying surface may take any arrangement level, in
which the conveying chain can mesh with the driving sprocket while
gradually descending and the above-mentioned guide track T can form
continuous two arc-shaped curves T1 and T2, that is an arrangement
level higher than the tangential line of a meshing pitch circle Sp
(not shown) formed in the driving sprocket S.
[0026] Further, in FIG. 2, an inflection point Tp between two
arc-shaped curves T1 and T2 can be defined as a traveling position
of the roller C2 when the roller C1, which is traveling on the
linear rail R for supporting the conveying surface, the roller C2,
which is traveling on the transfer position X1 and the roller C3,
which is traveling on the meshing position X2 were brought into a
linear arrangement state.
[0027] Therefore, the conveying chain guide of the present
invention can be provided on at least a lower side or an upper side
of a movement passage for the transfer position X1 based on a
radius of curvature of the guide taking the two arc-shaped curves
T1, T2 forming the above-mentioned movement passage and the roller
radii of the rollers C1, C2, C3 into consideration.
[0028] That is the conveying chain guide 100 of the first Example
shown in FIG. 1 comprises lower guides 111, 112 and upper guides
121, 122 provided along the movement passage taking the radii of
the rollers at the transfer position X1 into consideration. Next,
the conveying chain guide 200 of the second Example shown in FIG. 3
comprises lower guides 211, 212 and an upper guide 221 provided
along the movement passage taking the radii of the rollers at the
transfer position X1 into consideration. Next, the conveying chain
guide 300 of the third Example shown in FIG. 4 comprises lower
guides 311, 312 provided along the movement passage taking the
radii of the rollers at the transfer position X1 into
consideration. Also the conveying chain guide 400 of the fourth
Example shown in FIG. 5 comprises a lower guide 411 and an upper
guide 421 provided on the side of the linear rail R for supporting
the conveying surface in the movement passage taking the radii of
the rollers at the transfer position X1 into consideration, and the
conveying chain guide 500 of the fifth Example shown in FIG. 6
comprises a lower guide 511 provided on the side of the linear rail
R for supporting the conveying surface in the movement passage
taking the radii of the rollers at the transfer position X1 into
consideration.
[0029] In the conveying chain guides 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500
obtained as mentioned above, when continuous three rollers C1, C2,
and C3 in the conveying chain is to be meshed with the sprocket S
while gradually descending from the linear rail R for supporting
the conveying surfaces toward driving sprocket S, in arrangement
traveling states, which are always corresponding to the linear rail
R for supporting the conveying surface, the transfer position X1
and the meshing position X2, a transfer position X1 just before
meshing with the driving sprocket S is defined along a movement
passage consisting of continuous two arc-shaped curves T1 and T2
where the roller C2 can be smoothly moved while keeping a distance
of a chain pitch Cp from the roller C1 and the roller C3,
respectively. Accordingly, such guide track T absorbs an change in
the speed of the conveying chain C, which meshes with the driving
sprocket S to perform a polygonal motion, so as to cancel the
change, whereby the speed variation of the conveying chain C can be
removed.
[0030] Therefore, according to the conveying chain guide of the
present invention, a stick slip phenomenon, which is a cause of the
falling down and falling out of the conveying articles, which is
liable to occur in a conveyor due to speed variation in the
conveying chain C, which is meshed with the driving sprocket S to
perform a polygonal motion, or a seasick phenomenon, which is a
cause of the front and rear or up and down motions of articles,
which are liable to occur in an assembly line, is removed and a
stable article conveying operation or a reliable assembling
operation can be smoothly attained. Accordingly, the driving power
and the variation noise of the conveying chain C is remarkably
reduced whereby the worsening of an environment for the conveying
operation can be prevented and a change in the conveying chain C
tension is avoided so that a miniaturization of the conveying chain
C can be attained.
[0031] Effects of the Invention
[0032] According to the present invention, when continuous three
rollers in the conveying chain is to be meshed with the sprocket
while gradually descending from the linear rail for supporting the
conveying surface toward the driving sprocket, in such an
arrangement traveling state that always corresponds to a linear
rail for supporting the conveying surface, a transfer position and
a meshing position, the guide track is defined along an movement
passage of the rollers in said transfer position. Thus, the guide
track formed of continuous two arc-shaped curves cancel a change in
the speed of a conveying chain, which is meshed with the driving
sprocket to perform a polygonal motion, whereby the variations of
the conveying chain speed can be removed. Therefore, according to
the conveying chain guide of the present invention, a conventional
stick slip phenomenon, which is liable to occur in a conveying
chain, which is meshed with the driving sprocket to perform a
polygonal motion, or a seasick phenomenon, are removed so that a
stable article conveying operation can be smoothly attained, and
the driving power and the variation noise of the conveying chain
can be remarkably reduced.
[0033] Description of Reference Numerals
[0034] 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 . . . Conveying chain guide
[0035] 111, 211, 311, 411, 511 . . . Lower guide provided on a side
of a linear rail R for supporting a conveying surface
[0036] 112, 212, 312 . . . Lower guide provided on a driving
sprocket S side
[0037] 121, 221, 421 . . . Upper guide provided on the side of the
linear rail R for supporting a conveying surface
[0038] 122 . . . Upper guide provided on the driving sprocket S
side
[0039] S . . . Driving sprocket
[0040] Sp . . . Meshing pitch circle for the driving sprocket S
[0041] S.alpha. . . . Pitch angle for the driving sprocket S
[0042] C . . . Conveying chain
[0043] C1 . . . Roller traveling on the linear rail R for
supporting the conveying surface
[0044] C2. . . Roller sent from the linear rail R for supporting
the conveying surface
[0045] C3 . . . Roller, which have been just meshed with the
driving sprocket S
[0046] Cp . . . Chain pitch
[0047] R . . . Linear rail for supporting a conveying surface
[0048] X1 . . . Transfer position
[0049] X2 . . . Meshing position
[0050] T . . . Guide track
[0051] T1, T2 . . . Arc-shaped curve
[0052] Tp . . . Inflection point between the arc-shaped curves T1
and T2
[0053] Hr . . . Arrangement level of the linear rail R for
supporting the conveying surface
[0054] The invention has been described herein by way of example
only and those skilled in the art will readily recognize that
changes may be made to the invention as described herein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the claims which follow
hereinbelow.
* * * * *